2. The job evaluation process
1. Existing posts
1.1 If you consider that your post has materially changed and you are now carrying out work of a higher value or some duties have been removed, you will be able to submit a completed Job Evaluation Questionnaire (Appendix One), Job Description and Person Specification. This must be accompanied by a request for re-evaluation which is signed and agreed by the relevant Strategic or Service Lead.
1.2 Evaluations may be requested by managers or individuals. The Job Evaluation Questionnaire must be signed off by a Strategic or Service Lead.
1.3 Jobs are likely to require re-evaluation in circumstances where there has been a restructure, new work requirements, redistribution of work or where line management responsibilities have changed. It should be noted that job evaluations are unlikely to achieve a higher grade unless the work is of a higher value than that already undertaken in the post.
1.4 No existing posts will be accepted for re-evaluation more than once in a calendar year.
2. Vacant posts
2.1 When a post becomes vacant and a decision has been made to recruit, it must be assessed by the Strategic Lead Organisational Development and Transformation on the need for job evaluation before it can be advertised.
3. New posts
3.1 Ideally, all new posts will need to be evaluated before they can be advertised. The line manager will complete a Job Evaluation Questionnaire and produce a Job Description and Person Specification. If the post is not evaluated before it is advertised, the salary will be marked as ‘Subject to Job Evaluation’. The new postholder will then submit a Job Evaluation Questionnaire within three months of occupying the post. Any salary increase will be backdated to the start date. If the grade/salary is reduced, the normal protection arrangements, as outlined in 5.9 of this document, will apply. Clearly, it is preferable to job evaluate new posts before they are advertised to avoid this situation.
4. Job Evaluation panels
4.1 Job Evaluation panels will be arranged on a regular basis. A joint panel comprising one management representative, one UNISON/staff representative and one HR chair will evaluate existing posts, new posts or appeals.
4.2 The panellists will be drawn from a pool of trained evaluators and will not be from the same section as the job being evaluated.
4.3 The Strategic Lead for Organisational Development and Transformation will act as the technical adviser and will ‘sore thumb’ to ensure that consistency is maintained throughout the organisation.
5. Job evaluation process
The Job Evaluation Questionnaire should be completed for all job evaluation requests including new or existing posts or job evaluation appeals.
A copy of the Job Evaluation Questionnaire, Job Description and Person Specification and relevant structure chart must be forwarded to the Corporate HR Manager who will consider the request for a job evaluation to be carried out and convene a job evaluation panel. The panel will not evaluate a post if information or documentation is incomplete.
Requests for re-evaluation/evaluation will be considered on the basis of the documentary evidence submitted.
The job evaluation panel will assess the documentation taking into consideration the original job evaluation questionnaire if there is one and the points factor levels originally awarded.
The Corporate HR Manager will consistency check panel scores to ensure the integrity of the overall set of scores. Once this check has been undertaken, Human Resources will notify the line manager and the post holder in writing within 30 days of the outcome. If this is not possible then the Corporate HR Manager will outline a new timeframe. He/she will also inform Human Resources and Payroll if there is a change in grade.
You have the right to appeal the outcome using the agreed Job Evaluation Appeal Procedure outlined at 8 in this document.
Any salary or grade changes will normally be effective from the 1st of the month following the panel decision. If there is an increase in salary or grade between 1 April and 30 September, any further increment increase will be effective from the following April. If there is an increase in salary or grade between 1 October and 31 March, any further increment increase will be effective after 6 months and then each subsequent April as appropriate.
Please note, the protection arrangements outlined in the Joint Agreement 2006 no longer apply.
If the employee’s post/employees posts has/have been re-evaluated at a lower level than their current grade and salary, they will receive pay protection for a period of one year. They will not be entitled to any pay award or increment for one year.
To illustrate the effect of this: there are four administration assistants and the post they occupy is evaluated at Grade 2. One of the administration assistants is on a grade 3 and will now be red circled so will have 1 year salary protection. In order to avoid further inequality, all of the administration assistants will be put on Grade 3 for the period of that protection.
6. Terms and conditions of employment
The joint agreement signed in January 2005 and amended in October 2006 enables East Devon District Council to amend the terms and conditions of staff within its scope, including changes to grades and salaries of posts in order to implement job evaluation.
7. Job evaluation appeals procedure
This appeals procedure has been jointly agreed between East Devon District Council and the recognised trade union ‘UNISON’ covering ‘Green Book’ employees.
The procedure has been established to deal either with individual or joint appeals by employees following a review of their job as a result of the job evaluation process.
Grounds of appeal
Under clause 4.3 of the National Agreement, a right of appeal has been included to take account of the following:
a) comparisons with other jobs
b) an incorrect job evaluation questionnaire
c) where the employee is of the opinion that the evaluation result does not properly or fully reflect their job. For instance, that an aspect or aspects of their job have been undervalued in respect of a factor level, or factor levels, of the scheme
d) equal pay/equal value
The grounds for appeal must be signed off by the relevant Service or Strategic Lead and submitted in writing, to the Corporate HR Manager within 30 working days of the notification to the employee of the outcome of the job panel. The appeal should be submitted with a clear statement of the grounds for appeal using either a, b, c or d as outlined above.
If the appeal relates to disputed factor levels, you will need to submit an amended Job Evaluation Questionnaire clearly highlighting the additional information you are providing to support a review of that factor.
Where appeals relate to disputed factor scores, the written appeal must be signed and dated by your Strategic or Service Lead. The signature is to provide confirmation that that there is management agreement regarding your responsibilities and activities, not to agree or disagree with factor scores. Please see Appendix Two for the Appeal Summary template.
If your Service Lead or Strategic Lead feels unable to agree (in whole or in part) with the content of the Job Evaluation Questionnaire for the appeal, he/she will arrange to meet with you to discuss the matter in an effort to reach agreement. At this meeting you can arrange for your local Trade Union Representative to be present to act as your adviser. If agreement cannot be reached with your line manager, a separate statement showing the differences of opinion should be attached/enclosed with the appeal.
Where the appeal relates to disputed factor levels, the appeal will be considered by the Appeals Panel who will, for each disputed factor level have the option of confirming, increasing or decreasing the original factor level.
Reassessment will require a re-examination of the whole job by a different group and results may go down as well as up (amendment agreed by UNISON on 30 November 2006).
The panel will comprise one management, one employee/Unison and one HR representative. The HR representative may be an external resource due to capacity or the need to involve a third party to achieve objectivity i.e. for posts in HR for instance.
The panellists will be drawn from the normal pool of evaluators, but will not have been involved in the original evaluation or be from the same section as the job being reviewed.
The Appeals Panel will examine the areas raised in the application and undertake a general review of the complete evaluation.
If the appeal results in a decrease, protection arrangements as outlined in section 6 will apply.
8. Equal pay / equal value appeals
EDDC and UNISON will work jointly to resolve issues relating to equal pay where they arise. Where the appeal relates to an equal value or equal pay issue, the Strategic Lead Organisational Development and Transformation will first request that the post is reviewed by a Job Evaluation Appeals Panel.
If the issue remains unresolved, an Appeal Hearing will take place between the appropriate Strategic Lead, Corporate HR Manager and the individual raising the claim. The individual will have the right of representation at this meeting by either a colleague or trade union representative.
The Appeal Hearing will include an adjournment and a decision will be made. If further information is required the meeting will be suspended and will reconvene when this is available.
The receipt of Appeal Hearing decision will be acknowledged by the Corporate HR Manager and written notification of the outcome of the appeal will be provided to the employee within 30 working days from receipt of the appeal. If this is not possible, the Corporate HR Manager will write to the individual explaining why and will agree a new time scale.
The decision reached by the Job Evaluation Appeal Panel or by those conducting the Appeal Hearing is final and there is no further right of appeal. This does not affect individual statutory rights.